Corners Are All It Takes
by Nightcrawler's Shadow
Summary: Willow's decided to turn a couple corners, and what greets her isn't exactly a surprise.W/O Please read A/N at beginning.


Disclaimer: I am not Joss Whedon (but I'm not the only one who appreciates his characters more than he did)

**SEVERE AU! ** Takes place sometime after New Moon Rising, but ignores the rest of pretty much everything.

**A/N:** Let's get this out of the way: **I don't like Tara!** She puts my teeth on edge and I really want to smack her every time she's on screen. I'm sure I would've liked her if Oz had stayed Willow's boyfriend, but I guess that I have my Oz/Willow shipperness clouding my judgement. Anyway, there is no loving of Tara in this fic, if you hate it: Why the hell are you reading?

**CONTINUE READING ONLY IF YOU ARE AN OZ/WILLOW SHIPPER!**

oOo

Boarding the plane for Istanbul, Willow felt no regrets and did not look back. She didn't look back to cheating ex-girlfriends, disapproving parents one step away from disowning her or friends who expected her to mope for a week then move on –well, except Buffy, but the blonde had her own problems to deal with at the moment. She fleetingly thought of the Scooby Gang –or what was left of them anyways- waking in the morning to discover her note and the clay bowl she'd left, the only explanation for it being she would contact them later. Giles would explain, she was positive.

.

...

...

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Standing before the mirror in her hotel room, Willow ran a hand through her hair, taking in the honey blonde streaks she'd dyed in at request of Tara. She frowned at the thought and brought up the hair dye kit she'd brought overseas. She wondered briefly how Oz had managed to take the time to dye his own hair so often, it was a lot of work to go through for something he was going to inevitably change within the week.

However, her resolve hardened and she opened the kit, carefully prying the blonde streaks out of her red mane and covering them with the dark dye.

.

...

...

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Stepping out of her hotel Willow had to smile, within a few weeks Istanbul had become a home of sorts. It was comfortable, being in a brand new place that had probably never even heard of Sunnydale. Running a hand through her blue streaked hair she started walking down the familiar streets.

In her first week, Willow had visited all the common tourist sites and then done a little more witchy searching, coming up hot when she found a quaint little magic shop nestled near a small bakery and clothing store. It had fronted much like the shop in Sunnydale, but with a few well placed enquiries she'd managed to stock up on the necessities, the first thing being a bowl matching the one she'd left under Dawn's history homework. She'd sent a message through the depths later that night, without a doubt turning up in its partner a few seconds later.

Despite the twinge of heartache she felt for her friends, it was nothing compared to the freedom and content she felt an ocean away. She hadn't felt this good since...since _him_.

She would have froze if thoughts of Oz hit her back in Sunnydale, back when she had been deluded into thinking her girlfriend was all hers. Now, all they brought was the warmth and love she'd felt before he'd left...actually, the only memories that hurt were those of his departures. The first for the heartbreak, the second for the guilt at sending him away.

Memories of half smiles and dry humour carried her blissfully down paths until she froze; music floated through the air and she half closed her eyes. If she hadn't come to think of that music as a second voice for its creator, she would have passed it off instantly, but she didn't and she began following it.

_Fate's_ chords led her into a park where she sped up, her heart catching in her throat every time the music paused even for half a second. She lost track of the corners she took until she came to an open area. There was a children's park in the distance, a fountain and winding paths converging in the center around a gazebo. There were even a few picnic benches, but her eyes sought the one eclipsed in the shadow of a large tree.

His hair was black, tipped with a blue so dark the only way she saw it was due to the tiny veins of light breeching the canopy above his head. His wardrobe was darker too, a navy shirt under a loose open black button up and baggy black jeans. The guitar wasn't the bright cherry red one she'd associated with him for years, but rather a light wood acoustic that was balanced perfectly on his lap. His black painted nails froze for an almost unnoticeable second before the melody changed, nearly bringing tears to her eyes when she heard the open verse to _She Knows_.

She sent up a thanks to the goddess for his heightened sense of smell, he knew she was there the second she'd come around the bend; because despite the dark attire and different guitar, the calm expression remained the same, his version of a smile playing on his lips as he bowed his head over the guitar, immersed in the music. She couldn't deny it and she nearly laughed, because it was entirely, completely, unbelievably _Oz_.

A hand running through her blue streaked hair, Willow brought a hand up to the Celtic knot pendant that rested in the hollow of her neck. It was made of a heavy medal inlaid with emeralds. It had appeared in the mail on her last birthday. She had recognized the hand writing even if no one else did. It came with only the short note of _Happy Birthday_, no signature, but it had come from Oz. She'd known it the second she saw the package.

She walked across the grass towards him, hearting pounding off beat from the music he was playing.

She came to stand barely a few feet from the table he sat on top of and waited, hands clasped in front of her as he continued playing.

As the last chord was strung, he kept his head bowed until it disappeared with the wind and then raised his gaze to hers.

She smiled, noting the warming of his eyes and slight upturn of the lips that was his own smile.

"Nice hair." Her smile widened, gesturing to the blue among his black spikes.

"Right back at ya." He returned, eyes laughing in glee at the blue streaks in her red hair that had been layered into a choppy, but still very Willow style. She had the appearance now of a girl who wouldn't seem out of place at his side, not that she ever really had.

Willow smirked slightly, "I was right...Istanbul."

Oz gazed around as if noticing that for the first time, he met her eyes again, "Just turn a corner did you?"

Her smile softened lovingly, "Had to turn a few...but I finally got here."

oOo

A/N: Seeing as this is my first venture into the Buffy-verse, I would truly appreciate it if you guys gave me a little feedback.


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